Gar-coupling



( 0 ModeL) T. P. BEADLE.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 531,497. v Patented Dec. 25, 1894.

mlnesses: Inventor.

cation.

' UNITED STnTE s PATENT OFFICE;

THOMAS P. 'BEADLE, OFOLIMAX, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,497, dated Decemberas, 1894. Application filed February 2'7, 1894- Serial No. 501,642. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P..BEADLE, a

citizen'ofthe United States, residing in .the

township of Climax, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and usefulImprovem'ents in Car- Oouplers, ofwhich the following is a specifi- My invention relates to improvementsin automatic hook car couplers.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide an automatic hook carcoupler that shall be pivotally connected to the draw bar and to thecar; second, to provide an automatic hook car coupler that shall readilycouple when the cars are on the curved track; third, to provide in anautomatic hook car coupler against any tendency to become uncoupled whenthe train is passing around a curve; fourth, to provide means to keepautomatic car couplers free from ice; fifth, to

provide in an automatic car coupler means of securely retaining itsbolts so that there will be no danger of the trains becoming uncoupledfrom this cause;. sixth, to provide an automatic hook car coupler inwhich the force of gravity assists in coupling and retaining the couplerin position; seventh, to provide in an automatic hook car coupler,means'of decreasing the lateral strain on the draw-bar; eighth, toprovide an automatic hook car coupler that is'perfectly safe; ninth, toprovide an automatic hook car coupler that 'prevents all slack motionbetween the cars and gives, at the same time, facility in moving thetrain around a curve. 7

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which 4o Figure l'is a top plan view of myimproved coupler joinedtogether, one end being shown in section onlinel-l of Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one end of the same, thedotted lines showing the method of swinging from side to side. Fig. 3 isa view in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevation ofFig. 1, showing the appearance of the coupler just after it isuncoupled. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawings, I show no means of operating the car coupler as myinvention does not relate to the means for operating it, but only tothemain hooking parts.

In the'drawings, A represents the draw-bar; B, the pivoted draw-headwhich is rounded into a true circle next to the car and is pivoted on aheavy pin, D, at the center of the curve. .In a curved slot, E, to therear of the pivoted draw-head is a pin, E,which serves to prevent thedraw-head, B, swinging too far to one side. To the front part of thepivoted draw-head, pivoted on the horizontal bolts, F, are hooks, O,which are made symmetrical to each other so that each hook can drop overa catch consisting of bolt, F, on the opposite portion of the couplerand, in this way, I secure a double hook to the coupler which givesitgreater security. The hooks, O, are so pivoted that they swing up, andthe under frontside of them is curved so that the parts readily passover the catch composed of the bolt, F, and a raised portion of thepivoted ets, F, to protect them from wear and preserve them so that theywill not become worn and broken, and also add to their strength. It willbe noted that the hooks, 0, act by gravity to drop into the notches madefor the bolts, F, in the draw-heads.

In the front of the pivoted draw-head, B, recesses, r, are formed toreceive the links of the ordinary link coupler so that my improvedcoupler can be readily utilized with the old fashioned'linkcouplerby'inserting the link in the recess and dropping the link pinthrough the holes, n, n. w

Just below the points of the hooks, 0, when I my improved coupler isjoined together, I make an opening, 25, of considerable size to allowall water or snow that may lodge on the coupler to fall through, whenthe hook drops down, which will keep the seat for the hooks, 0, freefrom snow and ice and allow them to them to hook readily both at once.

operate freely. Ihe fronts of the recesses or grooves for receiving thehooks, O, on my improved coupler, are shaped something like funnels sothat, when the cars strike together, the hooks will strike in therecesses and swing the couplers to the proper position to allow Springs,a, are shown above each hook to depress it and insure a more perfectaction of the coupler, when the cars are brought together, and securethe hooks from bounding out of place; but where the hooks, C, are madeheavy, the springs, a, can be dispensed with as the weight will besuificient to insure the proper action of the same.

I desire to say that my improved coupler is capable of considerablevariation in its details and still embody my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic hook car coupler, the combination of draw-heads, B,pivoted to the draw-bars by bolts, D; bolt, E, in the slot,E, to limitthe lateral motion of said draw-heads; hooks, O, in longitudinal groovespivoted to bolts, F, to engage a catch in the opposite facingcorresponding member; and spring, a,

to force the hook, 0, down, all substantially as described for thepurpose specified.

2. In an automatic hook car coupler, the combination of the draw-heads,B, pivoted to the draw-bars by bolts, D; bolt, E, in the slot, E, tolimit the lateral motion of said drawheads; books, 0, in longitudinalgrooves pivoted on bolts, F, to engage catches in the oppositely facingcorresponding members, all substantially as described for the purposespecified.

3. In an automatic hook car coupler, the combination of draw-heads,B,pivoted to the draw-bars by bolts, D; bolt, E, in the slot, E, to limitthe lateral motion of said drawheads; pointed hooks, O, in longitudinalgrooves pivoted on bolts, F, to engage catches in the oppositely facingmembers; and funnel shaped guideways to receive said hooks and guide thecoupler together, for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presenceof two witnesses.

THOMAS P. BEADLE. [L. s]

Witnesses:

WALTER S. Woon, JOHN W. ADAMS.

